


knockout

by aphrodite (cabinseventy)



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boxing, Alternate Universe - Human, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-05-14 23:47:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19283674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cabinseventy/pseuds/aphrodite
Summary: Jason really needs to talk to Hephaestus, the local heavyweight champion, but some kid is in his way.





	knockout

**Author's Note:**

> happy valgrace week  
> today's prompt was **au**. more sports au, but unlike the soccer one, this is permanently a one-shot. also i watched like, both creeds and three different rockys.

The house had blue shutters and neon green curtains with fish on them. Jason assumed this to be a welcoming factor to the unwelcoming neighborhood and tiny home, as he knocked on the pine door.

No one answered, so he knocked again. He knew someone was home- knew this for sure because of the light coming from the movie playing inside. Jason kept knocking until he heard the clinking of chains, an irritated huff, and the door rushing open.

“What do you want?” spat out the guy at the door. He glared at Jason with squinty and suspicious eyes.

“Is this the Barrera home?”

“What about it?”

Jason tried to peer over the boy and look behind him. “Is Hephaestus home? It’s important.”

“Who’s asking?” The guy drew the door closed to keep Jason’s nosey eyes from seeing inside. “What do you want, man?”

“No offense,” Jason said, “but who are you?”

“His kid. Who are _you?_ ”

Jason was a bit shocked. It wasn’t often he heard the question. He was used to being recognized on the street and didn’t usually need to explain who he was. “Jason… Grace?”

Not a single sign of recognition. “Was that a _question?_ ”

“No?” It was reassuring not to be recognized but still bizarre. “I’m Jason Grace. Who are you?”

“Leo,” Leo said, suspicion lacing his tone. “While it’s all great we’ve established that we’ve got names, get the hell off my property.” He began to close the door.

“No!” Jason thrust his arm forward to stop Leo. “I just- I _really_ need to speak to Hephaestus.”

“Dude, if you want an autograph or something, someone’s probably selling it online. You look like you can afford it anyway,” Leo eyed Jason’s expensive sneakers and jacket. “I’m gonna call the cops if you’re some rabid fan.”

“I don’t think you realize who I am.”

“I don’t _care_.” Leo slammed the door in Jason’s face.

Jason frowned at the wood, dumbstruck. People didn’t slam doors in his face. Stuff like this didn’t happen to Jason. While he didn’t always like it, he was used to people hanging onto his every word and sucking up for as long as they could.

Jason knocked again, this time his fist pounding on the door. A few minutes later, the door was yanked open again, with Leo scowling with a leash in hand. A small Corgi wobbled out and yipped happily at Jason.

“I swear, I’m calling the cops on you if you don’t leave in five seconds.”

Jason didn’t doubt Leo for a second, so he summarized his point in a very neat sentence, the summary of the past 23 years: “I’m a boxer.”

He didn’t get the response he had been expecting. Typically there was the widening of eyes, or some checking out, or even the awed gasp. Instead, Leo said “okay” and bent to pet his dog.

“I want Hephaestus to train me,” Jason continued. Leo was ignoring him as he locked up the house. “He’s a legend.”

Leo dropped his keys in his pocket with little interest toward Jason. “I know.”

“Is he home? Let me talk to him.” The movie playing inside was still going. So Leo wasn’t home alone. Or perhaps he was just wasteful. Judging by the poor neighborhood, Jason doubted, that was the case.

Leo knelt to tie his shoe. While his head was bent, he was still talking to Jason. “Really can’t let you do that. Go home and do something that won’t totally fuck you up.”

“Boxing is my life.”

“Get a hobby.” The dog circled Leo then bounced around the dry grass making up a pitiful front yard.

Jason’s hands balled up behind his back. “Listen, I didn’t drive all the way here for you-”

“So what _did_ you come here for?” Leo straightened. He wasn’t as tall as Jason, but his irritation seemed to make him tower over the athlete. Leo poked a sharp finger into Jason’s chest. “I can have you arrested, you know. I already told you my dad isn’t here.”

“You didn’t say that,” Jason pushed Leo’s hand away. “And I thought he only had a daughter.”

“Yeah, well,” Leo looked miffed. “He had a daughter. And then some. Which is none of your business.”

It wasn’t. The dog began to bark at someone walking past the property, following the stranger across the yard, carelessly running into the chain link fence. When the animal reached the corner and couldn’t follow along anymore, it rushed back to the other side to do the process all over again.

“Are you really a boxer?” The question was spoken out of pure curiosity, with Leo looking over the thinly covered muscles under Jason’s jacket and shorts. Jason would be lying if he said he didn’t puff up with pride- he had earned his strength through hard work and sweat, and the son of a champion would most be able to recognize that.

“Super middleweight.”

Leo’s looked annoyed, and his eyes flickered to his happy dog. “Hephaestus was a heavyweight champ. Gain weight and _don’t_ come back, superstar.”

“Leo,” Jason stepped back to face the other. Leo’s dark eyes regarded him coldly. “Just let me talk to your dad. _Please_. My old trainer… she passed away, and your dad was the _best_  fifteen years ago. He was my hero. I would do anything to be trained by him.”

“I told you. He’s not here.” Leo’s expression softened. “And sorry to hear. Sounds rough, but he can’t help you.”

“It’s fine,” Jason swallowed, pushing back unwanted memories of his coach. “But being in that ring is all I care about. I _need_ this. Our parents were friends- I’m sure if you’d just let me _see_ him-”

“Jason.” Leo sighed and sat down on the porch. The corgi ran up to him, panting as it brushed across Leo’s legs. “My dad’s in the hospital. I wasn’t lying when I said he can’t help you.”

“I’m,” Jason hesitated. Leo didn’t sound too upset with his father’s hospitalization. “Sorry to hear. Sounds rough.” He nodded upwards, behind Leo to the lights coming from the TV. “Then what about-”

“Like I said. He had kids. Not any of your business.”

“Got it.”

Festus began to run away from them and then wobbled back. He dropped a chew toy at Leo’s feet. Leo threw it and it bounced off the fence sending Festus running again.

Jason didn’t know what to do. He had intruded enough into Leo’s- and by proxy, Hephaestus’- life. It was obvious that there was no point in him staying here. Yet, he somehow felt _bad_. Like him knocking on the door caused Hephaestus to be in the hospital or like he ruined Leo’s life.

“Hey, blondie.” Leo threw the chew toy again. “Let me see your hook.”

“What?”

“Your hook.” Leo stood up. He had lopsided and crazed grin covering his face like he was up to no good. “It’s famous, isn’t it? Punch me.”

“Um, _no_ ,” Jason said, bewildered. “Wait, I thought you didn’t know who I was?”

Leo shrugged, smirk spreading wider. “You’re Jason Grace, and my family loves boxing. _I thought_ you would leave when someone threatens to have you arrested.”

Leo was messing with him, Jason realized. It irked him, but a part of Jason wanted to break out in that playful spirit Leo was now in. He liked this Leo a lot more than he liked cranky and irritated Leo.

“I’m not going to punch you.”

“I’ve been punched before,” Leo joked, but something dark underlined his words. “I can take you.”

“Are you sure?” Jason looked around for something telling him not to. Cameras maybe? Paparazzi ready to snap blackmail? The only one around was Festus rolling around with the weeds.

Jason moved into his stance. Leo lazily mirrored it, but something about it wasn’t natural. That wasn’t an average person who didn’t know what to do or the position of a punk who brawled on the streets. Leo knew his way around a professional fight. Because of that, Jason threw away anything in his brain that advised him not to, and lunged forward with his infamous right hook.

He didn’t put all his strength into it, of course. Leo looked skinny and not even close to being in Jason’s weight class. Yet, Leo ducked smoothly, almost as if Jason hadn’t even thrown the punch in the first place. Leo was unimpressed.

“Wow,” Leo snickered. “I can see why you need help.”

Jason flushed. He had used that punch to gain the upper hand on his opponents multiple times. Even knocked out one or two people. But to have Leo diminish it so quickly was… embarrassing.

“Will you talk to your dad?” Jason said, hopeful.

“No.” Leo bent down to pick up Festus’ leash. “You should quit. It ruined his life and mine. His brain is basically the Jell-O they give him to eat there.”

Jason crumbled. He did what Leo asked. He knocked on the door the way he was supposed to. He was as persistent as his dad has always wanted him to be. And for what? Nothing.

“How old are you, man?” Leo waved Jason out of the property. He closed the gate and stood there like he was afraid Jason was going to try to run back in.

“Twenty-four next week.”

Leo nodded. “I’m twenty-six next week. You seem smart and you’ve got a hot face. You shouldn’t waste your time with this.”

Jason’s heard the speech before. A million times before. “But boxing-”

“-is your life or whatever,” Leo rolled his eyes. “Unlike you, I get it the first time. I don’t _understand_ it, but I get it. My dad was the same way and wanted me like that too. No offense, but getting beat up isn’t exactly a trip to Disneyland for me.”

“I don’t know where you’re going with this.”

Leo stuck his hand out. “ _That said_ , I got fired last week and I don’t want to see a kid like you ruin yourself. Nice to meet you, Jason Grace, I’m your new trainer.”

Festus barked at the passing car, pulling on Leo’s arm, but he stood as if his arm wasn’t being yanked off. Some kids down the street began hollering as they played a game. One of them screamed about not playing fair.

“My new _what?_ ”

“Festus, come _on_ ,” Leo warned the dog who was sniffing around their feet. His hand was still out for Jason. “My dad can’t help you and he probably _wouldn’t_. He’s no good with people unless it has to do with,” Leo raised his fists and pretended like he was punching Jason, “his fists of fury and shit.”

Jason nodded dumbly, “Okay…”

“And like, I know everything about boxing. I saw my first match when I was two months, and I learned to fight in high school,” Leo scorned Festus again for sniffing around Jason’s legs. “I don’t have anything else to do, and you don’t have a coach.”

“Yeah, but-”

“Listen, I gotta walk Festus or else he’ll tear up the pillows again. You make your decision, and figure out if you’re gonna bust up your pretty face or get an actual job.” Leo shrugged toward his house. “You know where I live. But if I get annoyed, I _will_ call the cops on you. And if that’s your car, you can’t park here.”

He jogged off, Festus yipping at his heels. Jason leaned against the hood of his car. The bright exterior didn’t fit in with Leo’s neighborhood or Leo’s life. He checked his phone, dismissing the texts sending him condolences and pity. Pulling up the flyer, he sighed. GRACE VS JACKSON.

He needed the help. Last time he fought Jackson he lost, tying their streak. His father was betting a lot of money on this match.

**Jason: Hey Reyna.**  
**Jason: Think I found a new trainer.**

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> (lol corgi) day 2? complete. have a good day!!! :)


End file.
